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Also: was Sikandar Raza the first Zimbabwe bowler to take seven wickets in a Test innings?

Steven Lynch04-Feb-2020India and New Zealand tied two matches in a row last week. Has this ever happened before in international cricket? asked Michael Farrant from England, among others

The consecutive T20I ties last week – both of them won by India after a Super Over – were the 55th and 56th in international cricket. No bilateral series had previously featured more than one, although there were two – both again involving New Zealand – in the World T20 in Sri Lanka in 2012-13. The result in Wellington meant New Zealand had tied three of their last five T20 internationals – and lost the Super Over in each one.England beat South Africa 3-1 after losing the first Test. Was this unique for a four-Test series? asked Amarnath Krishnasamy from India

England’s come-from-behind feat to win 3-1 in South Africa in 2019-20 had been achieved twice before. Both were famous four-match series: West Indies, powered by the Three Ws and the spinners Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine, lost the first Test of 1950, at Old Trafford, but claimed the other three, to win a series in England for the first time. Then in 2017-18, in the series overshadowed by the sandpaper controversy in Cape Town, Australia won the first Test in Durban, but South Africa took the remaining three. It’s probably worth pointing out that there haven’t been that many four-Test series – only 61 in all, nine of which finished with a 3-1 scoreline.There were over 1100 runs scored in the fourth Test between South Africa and England, but no individual centuries. Was this a record? asked Rahul from India

In all, 1105 runs were made in the fourth Test, in Johannesburg, with the highest individual score being 98, by Rassie van der Dussen. Rather surprisingly, perhaps, this comes in at only No. 21 on the list of the highest match aggregates without a century. On top is another match between South Africa and England, in Durban in 1927-28, when 1272 runs were scored in all, with 90 by Wally Hammond being the highest individual contribution. There were 1262 runs (but no hundreds) in the 1997 Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, and 1227 in Melbourne in 1960-61, in the final match of the famous series between Australia and West Indies, which started with a tie in Brisbane.Sikandar Raza took Zimbabwe’s first Test seven-for, but the best figures still remain Paul Strang’s 8 for 109 against New Zealand in 2000•AFPWas Sikandar Raza the first Zimbabwe bowler to take seven wickets in a Test innings at Harare? asked Ibrahim Kamara from Zimbabwe

Sikandar Raza’s flattish offbreaks brought him figures of 7 for 113, one of the highlights of Zimbabwe’s plucky performance in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Harare last week. Strictly speaking, it was indeed Zimbabwe’s first Test seven-for – although that ignores their best Test figures, Paul Strang’s 8 for 109 against New Zealand in Bulawayo in September 2000. In third place is Douglas Hondo’s 6 for 59 against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2004-05.Both Sri Lankan openers scored 44 in the first innings of the second Test against Zimbabwe. What’s the highest identical score by openers? asked Geetha Krishnan from India

Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando both made 44 in Sri Lanka’s first innings against Zimbabwe in Harare last week. It’s the highest such double for Sri Lanka, but there have been seven higher ones for other countries. Best of all was twin 88s, by Shane Watson and Phillip Hughes for Australia against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2011-12.The ODI record is 73, by Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes for Bangladesh against Zimbabwe in Mirpur in 2015-16. And in T20 internationals it’s 80, by Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan for India against New Zealand in Delhi in 2017-18.Use our
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عزز روني باردجي وفيران توريس تقدم برشلونة بالهدفين الثالث والرابع أمام ريال بيتيس، خلال اللقاء الذي يجمع بين الفريقين ضمن منافسات الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم.

ويجرى اللقاء بين الفريقين على ملعب لاكارتوخا، ويحتل برشلونة صدارة ترتيب الدوري الاسباني بـ37 نقطة، ويحتل ريال بيتيس المركز الخامس بـ24 نقطة.

ونجح السويدي روني باردجي في استغلال تمريرة بيدري، في الدقيقة 31 ليسدد بقدمه اليمنى في شباك ريال بيتيس.

اقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | في 112 ثانية.. توريس يسجل هدفين ويقلب تأخر برشلونة أمام ريال بيتيس

وفي الدقيقة 40، أحرز فيران توريس الهدف الرابع لبرشلونة والهاتريك له، بعد تسديدة رائعة من خارج منطقة الجزاء.

وكان ريال بيتيس قد تقدم عن طريق أنتوني في الدقيقة 6، وتعادل فيران توريس لبرشلونة في الدقيقة 11، وأضاف الهدف الثاني له في الدقيقة 13.

وكان هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة قد دخل اللقاء بتشكيل مكون من: جارسيا، بالدي، جيرارد مارتن، كوبارسي، كوندي، بيدري، جارسيا، يامال، باردجي، راشفورد، فيران توريس.

The Colorado Rockies fired manager Bud Black shortly after the team beat the San Diego Padres 9–3 on Sunday. The Rockies players found out the news right after the game, and some players were emotional about the move.

Black had been manager of the Rockies since 2017, so he'd made strong bonds with the team's long-tenured players, including starting pitcher German Marquez who's been with the Rockies since his career began in '16.

Marquez was holding back tears in the locker room when talking about Black's firing. It's clear that the pitcher really valued his time with Black.

"It's kind of sad, I've been with Buddy since '17," Marquez said, via 's Patrick Saunders. "It's kind of hard, man. It's been a long time, a lot of years with that guy. A lot of byes, ups and downs. It is what it is, baseball's like this. And we have to keep moving forward."

Marquez picked up the win during Black's final game as the Rockies manager on Sunday. Marquez pitched seven innings tallying two strikeouts, three hits and one run to improve his season ERA to 8.27.

NZ have lost all their last 15 completed ODIs against Australia, but captain Devine believes this stat doesn’t matter in a World Cup

Vishal Dikshit30-Sep-20253:02

Devine: ‘The wicket looks incredibly flat’

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine started her media assignments for the 2025 World Cup just like how she wants her side to play their opening game against Australia on Wednesday: with a hiss and a roar.She waltzed into the press conference room donning a White Ferns jumper in the freezing air-conditioned room. She had brought some warmth with her, it would seem. Except when she started to face some hard-hitting questions.”You haven’t beaten Australia in eight years,” she was coldly reminded straightaway of their record against the reigning champions. New Zealand have lost all their last 15 completed ODIs against Australia.Related

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“Thanks for that stat,” she retorted before quashing away such historical records. “I think it’s a great opportunity. Those stats are there and we’re aware of them, but at World Cups, it doesn’t matter. I think records and previous results go out the window for us. It’s a really exciting opportunity to take on the reigning one-day champions first up. We love any opportunity that we get to play against Australia. It’s sort of like our big sister. We’re really excited about that. And come game day, both teams start on zero. So, again, really excited for the opportunity.”Another journalist then asked something that stumped her again. “How does it feel to come out of retirement to lead your country again?” (She hadn’t, she is retire from ODIs after this World Cup).As if Devine knew that was coming, she shot back saying, “I haven’t retired. I haven’t retired,” she repeated to sear it into his memory. “Are you saying I need to retire? Is that what you’re saying? That’s okay. It’s okay.”Devine meant it all in jest though and normalcy soon resumed even when she was asked about the weaknesses in New Zealand’s middle order, which she didn’t quite agree with.Sophie Devine wants New Zealand to play ‘strong and aggressive’ at the World Cup•AFP/Getty Images”…The middle order has been going considerably well,” she said. “Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze both scoring hundreds [in the warm-ups]. I know you’re probably talking about official one-day matches, but for us, we’ve built really nicely. We haven’t played a lot of cricket, especially one-day format, over the last six-nine months, but it’s certainly something that we’re aware of. We know that in this competition, especially on some of the wickets that we’re going to face over here in India, that run-scoring is going to be incredibly important. It’s up to everyone.”We can’t just rely on the top four, we need the middle order. There’s going to be crucial runs scored by the lower order as well at some stage during this tournament. I think if you look to the India-Australia series just before this, 400 nearly wasn’t enough. I think it’s really exciting. As batters, we certainly know that we want to take ownership and responsibility of being the ones that do the bulk of the work. We’re really excited to be able to play on wickets like this, which I think are really conducive for scoring runs.”New Zealand have the most unenviable task in this World Cup: starting their campaign against seven-time champions Australia. But even a win over them would not count for more than two points because each team plays seven league games and will need a consistent run of victories to make the semi-finals in the eight-team tournament.”I don’t think we can necessarily focus on one game,” she said about the clash on Wednesday. “I think for us, every match is going to be incredibly important. Absolutely, we want to start this tournament with a real hiss and a roar and make sure that we come out really strong and aggressive. And the fact that it’s Australia that we play first, I think for us, what we keep going back to is making sure that we play our style of cricket. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing against.2:02

McGrath on playing NZ: ‘We know each other’s game really well’

“Absolutely, everyone wants to win their first game, but there’s still a lot of cricket. It’s over a month of cricket to be played. For us, our focus is on making sure that we can execute to our skills for long periods of time. Absolutely. We want to beat these Aussies first up and get some points on the board, but it’s probably more important for us on how we play that game.”If New Zealand look at their trans-Tasman rivals as their “big sister,” their opponents also look at it as a not-so-intense rivalry.”We’ve got a really nice rivalry with New Zealand. We call it the friendly rivalry,” Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath said. “We’ve played each other a lot over the last 12 months and sort of know each other’s game really well through franchise cricket as well. And we just finished our prep meeting and think we match up really nicely. So we go ahead into this clash really, really confident and really excited.”McGrath agreed with Devine in saying that such records of a 15-0 streak in ODIs between the two teams became “irrelevant” in World Cups where the pressure is different and every game becomes “crucial.”But there’s no denying that the team that ends up winning by the end of Wednesday night will have its job of making it to the last four much easier.

Lionel Messi is one step closer to lifting his first MLS Cup after scoring once and assisting three to power Inter Miami past FC Cincinnati in a dominant 4-0 win that booked their place in the Eastern Conference finals. The Argentine was outstanding throughout, while Tadeo Allende added a brace as Miami snapped a three-year winless run at TQL Stadium.

Miami had less of the ball in the early goings, but were far more clinical with it. They scored from their first real chance. Messi, of course, was the one to finish. But there was some delightful interplay in between, with Mateo Silvetti pinging in the cross for his fellow Argentine to head home. Cincinnati responded with some attacking ideas of their own. Evander – who rather flailed in and out of the game – fired over. Kevin Denkey created chaos. But they couldn't muster an equalizer before the break. 

The second half was all Miami. They added a second after 57 minutes. This time, Messi played provider, pivoting and feeding Silvetti, who curled his shot into the far corner. The third came before Cincinnati could blink. Messi was at the center of it all once again. He won the ball deep in his own half, took three touches, and fed an inch-perfect ball into the feet of  Allende, who slotted home. Allende bagged a fourth after 75 minutes to put the game to bed for good. 

There was even time for a Luis Suárez cameo as he came on in the 76th minute. The Uruguayan star started on the bench in favor of Silvetti – the only real point of drama on the night. Whether he works his way back into the XI remains to be seen, but that’s a question for another day. For now, Miami look as strong as they have all season, breezing into the conference finals – a match in which they will surely be favored.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from TQL Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Rocco Rios Novo (7/10):

  Barely had anything to do, other than one or two simple saves. Will take the clean sheet. 

  Marceo Weigandt (7/10):

  A solid run out on the right. Didn't have loads to do, but went about his business well.

  Maxi Falcon (7/10):

  Chaotic at all times, yet was remarkably effective in his efforts. 

  Noah Allen (8/10):

  One wonderful burst of pace prevented Denkey a dangerous one-on-one. Went off injured after a tremendous shift. 

  Jordi Alba (7/10):

  Did a little more defending than he would have wanted, but had a key involvement in the first goal. 

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  Midfield

  Sergio Busquets (6/10):

  Not his best game, all said. Was dragged around here and there. But he still picked out a few silly passes.

  Rodrigo De Paul (7/10):

  Put out fires, won his tackles, moved the ball well. Did all of the dirty work with that extra bit of quality sprinkled in. 

  Baltasar Rodriguez (8/10):

  Never stopped running, supported the attack, and was constantly involved in building up play. 

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  Attack

  Tadeo Allende (8/10):

  Scored twice and put in plenty of legwork, too. A terrific showing. 

  Lionel Messi (10/10):

  What more is there to say? Scored one, assisted the other three. He's making an absolute mockery of this league at the moment. 

  Mateo Silvetti (8/10):

  Absolutely masterful on the night. Assisted the first and scored the second. Miami's second-best attacking player – and that's a compliment. 

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  Subs & Manager

  Tomas Aviles (7/10):

  Replaced the excellent Allen, and didn't put a foot wrong. 

  Telasco Segovia (6/10):

  Extra legs in the midfield. 

  Luis Suarez (N/A):

  A brief cameo in which he didn't have much time to make anything happen. 

  Yannick Bright (N/A):

  No time to make an impact. 

  Gonzalo Lujan (N/A):

  No time to make an impact. 

  Javier Mascherano (9/10):

  Made a gutsy call to bench Suarez. But it worked. Miami were excellent at both ends. Messi made everyone else look bang average at soccer. Surely his finest night in the job. 

The annual fixture will be played between the first two Tests in Perth and Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2025An England XI will face the Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day pink-ball match in Canberra in late November ahead of the day-night Ashes Test at the Gabba.The match at Manuka Oval will take place on November 29 and 30, starting four days after the opening Test in Perth and finishing three days before the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, which this season is the venue for the day-night encounter instead of the traditional Adelaide Oval.It will provide England’s players a chance to acclimatise to the pink ball in match conditions in what was traditionally a one-day fixture before becoming a multi-day game in 2022-23 when West Indies were the opposition.Last season the game was reduced to a two-dayer against India but became a one-day contest due to rain. However, it still had a major bearing on the Test series with Sam Konstas flaying a century which played a significant part in him earning a call-up for the MCG.The PM’s XI match will be England’s only fixture outside of the five Tests once the Ashes begins. They will prepare for the series with a three-day game against England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth, although that is expected to consist more of centre-wicket practice scenarios rather than being a fully-fledged match. However, tickets for the opening day have already sold out.Unlike the two matches England Lions will play – against a CA XI and Australia A – that run concurrently with the first two Ashes Tests, the PM’s XI contest does not clash with the Sheffield Shield.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “An Ashes series is something every cricket fan looks forward to. Like many Australians I grew up admiring, and begrudging, the brilliance of players like Ian Botham, David Gower, and Graham Gooch.”I look forward to meeting with the selectors to finalise a PM’s XI squad that showcases the best available talent from across Australia to take on the strong English team.”

Bruno Fernandes has for so long been Manchester United’s shining light, often being the man to get themselves out of trouble during the Ruben Amorim tenure.

The Red Devils may have finished in 15th place last campaign, but it didn’t stop the Portuguese international from ending 2024/25 with a total of 37 combined goals and assists.

However, the £200m spending spree during the recent summer window has seen some of the responsibility taken off his shoulders – as seen by the goals scored by Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo against Brighton.

As a result, the 31-year-old has since dropped into a slightly deeper midfield role, resulting in Bruno only registering two goals and one assist from his first nine Premier League outings in 2025/26.

Amorim could be utilising the club captain in such a role to try and bridge the gap to one player who has prematurely offloaded during the tenure of the previous management team.

Man Utd’s mammoth mistake in selling McTominay

To combat their heavy spending in recent years, the United hierarchy have had to offload numerous players from their books to prevent any financial problems.

Midfielder Scott McTominay was one of the players sacrificed by the board, with the Scottish international leaving in a £25m deal to join Napoli in the summer of 2024.

Such a deal was seen as excellent business at the time, with the midfielder often receiving a fair amount of criticism from the supporters over his displays at Old Trafford.

However, he’s taken his career to the next level in Naples, thriving under Antonio Conte’s guidance in 2024/25 as the Italian outfit claimed the Serie A title.

The 28-year-old scored 12 times and registered four assists in Italy’s top-flight, subsequently winning the division’s MVP award, whilst also being nominated for the Balon d’Or.

The former Red Devil has continued his phenomenal form into the current campaign, with his sensational strike against Inter Milan on Saturday securing the club all three points.

His £25m departure now appears to be a huge mistake, but Amorim shouldn’t be worried with the manager already stumbling upon his next version of the Scotsman.

The United star who’s becoming their next McTominay

Whilst Bruno has largely operated in the role vacated by McTominay, numerous other talents have also shared the responsibility at the heart of the United side.

Manuel Ugarte joined a £50m transfer from PSG last summer, with the hierarchy seeing him as the perfect player to fill the void left by the departing academy star.

However, the Uruguayan has subsequently fallen way below the expectations of the fanbase, with Amorim only starting two of the club’s nine Premier League outings in 2025/26.

Kobbie Mainoo was a first-team mainstay before the 40-year-old’s arrival last year, but like Ugarte, he’s found minutes extremely hard to come by within the starting eleven.

The Englishman has failed to start a single game and only appeared for a total of 138 minutes off the bench in England’s top-flight during the current campaign.

The aforementioned duo’s lack of impact is largely due to the performances of Casemiro, with the Brazilian international nailing down a starting role to the surprise of many.

He’s previously been slated by numerous figures over the years, with Jamie Carragher infamously stating ‘the football has left him’ and that he needs to move to Saudi Arabia.

Such a situation is similar to that of McTominay, with the former United star taking his career to unimaginable heights after his own switch out of Manchester.

However, Casemiro has managed to turn his Red Devils career around in recent months and subsequently shut up a lot of his doubters along the way in the process.

The “world-class” star, as dubbed by Gus Poyet, has started seven times in the Premier League this year, registering two goals and an assist within his recent outings.

His latest showing against Brighton was arguably his best of 2025/26, scoring once and teeing up compatriot Cunha for his goal for the Red Devils.

Minutes played

70

Touches

48

Passes completed

25

Passes into final third

7

Tackles made

3

Clearances

1

Interceptions made

2

Recoveries

5

Casemiro’s underlying stats further showcase how impressive he was against the Seagulls, with the 33-year-old having a huge effect at both ends of the football field.

Tallies such as three tackles and five recoveries made highlight his importance without the ball – arguably being the perfect all-round option at the heart of the side to allow Bruno to express himself in attacking areas.

Such a turnaround in form is huge credit to the experienced midfielder, with his recent outings making him one of the club’s most important players at present.

His partnership with Bruno has allowed for the recent impressive form – potentially saving Amorim’s job and allowing him to reach new heights in his tenure.

Forget Cunha & Mbuemo: Man Utd star was the shining light against Brighton

Manchester United secured their third win in a row against Brighton & Hove Albion last night.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 26, 2025

Everton appear to be moving in the right direction.

Last time out, the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium witnessed wild celebrations for the first time as the Toffees fought back from a goal down to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in the dying embers.

Iliman Ndiaye converted a penalty, before Jack Grealish rather tackled in the winner from close range deep into stoppage time.

This propelled David Moyes’ team up to eighth in the Premier League table and was a timely victory, considering the Blues’ next two matches are Manchester City (A) and then Tottenham (H) after this latest international break.

So, while Everton’s sole league defeat since the opening day came in the Merseyside derby at Anfield, one regular member of their team is on borrowed time, ahead of the return of, arguably, Everton’s best player.

The latest on Jarrad Branthwaite's fitness

What has made Everton’s decent start to the season all the more impressive is the fact that Jarrard Branthwaite is yet to play a single minute of it.

The England international suffered a hamstring injury during a pre-season friendly against Roma, so has not been seen in competitive action since the final game at Goodison back in May.

In the meantime though, he has signed a new five-year contract with the club, a serious statement of intent to secure the signature of a defender described as a “generational talent”.

Ahead of the recent 1-1 draw with West Ham, Moyes noted that Branthwaite was not yet “back with the group” but is expecting him to be available “soon”, so there is optimism that he’ll be ready to feature in the coming weeks.

Having been both the Toffees’ players’ and supporters’ player of the season in 2023/24, the 23-year-old’s imminent return will only elevate this team, but could certainly be bad news for his current deputy.

Everton star on borrowed time once Branthwaite is back

In Branthwaite’s continued absence, James Tarkowski and Michael Keane have started every Premier League match at centre-back so far this season, both ever-presents until the latter suffered a rib injury against Crystal Palace, replaced by Tim Iroegbunam mid-way through the second period.

Keane joined the Toffees from Burnley all the way back in 2017, accumulating 239 appearances for the club to date, playing under eight different permanent managers: Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelotti, Rafa Benítez, Frank Lampard, Sean Dyche and now Moyes.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday night football, one of Keane’s former caretaker bosses, Duncan Ferguson exclaimed that he’s been blown away by the England international’s recent performances, particularly in light of his goal against West Ham.

“It’s incredible how he got the height. He jumped off his two feet when normally it would be off one. It was behind him. What a header.”

However, one would assume that, as soon as Branthwaite is back, the 32-year-old will find himself back on the bench, so let’s assess how the duo compare.

Aerial duel success %

59%

57%

Ground duel success %

69%

49%

Clearances

6.8

6.9

Interceptions

1

1.3

Blocks

0.9

0.7

Ball recoveries

3.4

2.6

Touches

56

50

As the table documents, Branthwaite comes out on top for the vast majority of defensive metrics included.

Keane did score that aforementioned goal against West Ham at Bramley-Moore Dock last month, but his days not only in the Everton team but at the club at all could be numbered, considering he is out of contract next summer, having signed a one-year deal last July.

Branthwaite, on the other hand, is the future, currently contracted to remain on Merseyside until 2030, so they will want him back in the defence as soon as possible.

Thus, while Keane is a serviceable Premier League player, Everton’s new home signals that they have aspirations of grandeur, and Branthwaite’s return will be key in getting them back there.

Moyes can make Ndiaye unplayable by unleashing Everton ace in new position

Everton could make Iliman Ndiaye unplayable by unleashing this star in a new role.

ByDan Emery Oct 13, 2025

Steven Gerrard was keen to avoid entering a “really tough” situation after being approached for the Rangers job after the sacking of Russell Martin. The Liverpool legend was at the top of the Scottish side’s shortlist for replacements, having already had a successful spell in Glasgow. But after the club’s poor start to the season, the Premier League icon opted not to take the risk.

• Gerrard unwilling to take Rangers risk

  Rangers have had a disastrous start to their 2025-26 campaign, winning just one of their opening seven Scottish Premiership matches. It has left the powerhouses in a difficult situation, sitting 11 points off the top spot and already at a huge disadvantage in the title race.

  With the club unwilling to give Martin – who had previously been in charge at Southampton – time to rectify his bumpy beginning to life in Scotland, they instead turned to Gerrard. The ex-midfielder was in charge between 2018-2021, halting a formidable Celtic side to claim a league title before departing for Aston Villa.

  Reports claim Gerrard was interested in returning to Ibrox, but ultimately opted against risking his immaculate reputation with the hardcore fans in the north.

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  Nevin: ‘I feel sorry for the board’

  Former Scotland star Pat Nevin can see the logic behind Gerrard’s decision, and claims it will be incredibly difficult to draft in a top manager after the start Rangers have made.

  Speaking to OLBG, he said: “Steven Gerrard's the last one that won a title and it stopped Celtic doing the ten titles in a row. So he's literally as good as anyone else and he's certainly got a tune out of that team that season.

  “I feel sorry for the board because when you look elsewhere it's tough. It's really, really tough to get a top manager because when you come into Rangers, it's not just Russell Martin.

  “You're behind the eight ball already. When you walk in, they're so far behind the league just now. The expectation is, if you got second this season, even from so far behind, people will still be a bit grumpy with you.

  “I understand that, they've got high standards. But the amount of managers that have gone in there and come out and been trashed, absolutely trashed. And there's no win for it. Celtic typically have so much more money.

  “Celtic have got a base there. Celtic can go and blow Rangers out of the water with money just now if they want, (but) they're not. They've got plenty in the bank they can use. There's all sorts of stuff that Celtic have got in place.

  “Rangers have got this team that's been built by a whole bunch of different managers. And I go to see Celtic-Rangers games a lot and you think, so who's playing for Rangers now? And that's not what you want.“

• Rangers can turn you into a laughing stock

  The 28-cap international also admitted that Rangers could turn any manager into a laughing stock, a likely reason why Gerrard was unwilling to return.

  He added: “You want a core that's going through that you believe in and you trust in. They've actually made one or two good signings, Bojan Miovski was a good signing this season.

  “But you can go in there and as a manager, a well-respected manager, and come out as a laughing stock. And that's maybe what's happened with Stevie G this time. Because remember, Stevie G needs a job. He needs a profile, again, after what's happened to him.

  “So Stevie turned that down, that's not because he doesn't want to be Rangers manager, he'd like to be Rangers manager. He’s looking at them and thinking, ‘ooh, I don't know about that’.

  “If he's saying that, some of the other very top ones will say the same. So whoever it is that comes now, it’s really tough.”

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  The hunt for a new coach continues

  Rangers return to action on Saturday when they face Dundee United, one of the four teams below them in the table. With no permanent manager in place, the club continue to run the risk of falling further behind their rivals, a situation the board will want to avoid at all costs. Rangers also remain in the Europa League, having failed to progress from their Champions League play-off. If they are to make any progress in Europe this season, they will need to make the right decision when it comes to replacing Martin.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 2024/25 Premier League campaign has been defined by frustration and disappointment.

Five games in, they are rooted to the bottom of the table with zero points and a goal difference of -9.

Their attack has looked blunt, generating one of the lowest expected goals (xG) figures in the division – only Aston Villa, Burnley, and Leeds rank worse.

This stands in stark contrast to their Carabao Cup outings, where they have shown flashes of potential.

They beat West Ham in the second round with a convincing display and now have an opportunity to build momentum against Everton in the third round on Wednesday night.

For manager Pereira, this cup tie feels like more than just a fixture; it’s a chance to breathe life into a faltering season.

The departure of Matheus Cunha, who was instrumental last year, has left a void in Wolves’ attacking play.

While the defensive structure under Pereira’s three-at-the-back system has shown glimpses of resilience, the final third remains the glaring weakness.

Upcoming fixtures, including clashes with relegation rivals Sunderland and Burnley after the international break, demand fresh solutions.

Arokodare's difficult start at Wolves

When Wolves signed Tolu Arokodare from Genk for £24 million, there was genuine excitement.

The 24-year-old forward had just finished as the Belgian Pro League’s Golden Boot winner, scoring 21 goals and establishing himself as a dominant aerial threat.

In total, he netted 41 times in 113 appearances for Genk, suggesting he could be the answer to Wolves’ goalscoring problems.

So far, however, the transition has been anything but smooth.

Arokodare has featured twice in the Premier League for a combined 156 minutes, starting against Newcastle and Leeds. While his physical presence is undeniable, his output has underwhelmed.

Against Leeds, he recorded three shots, but only one was on target. His dribbling attempts yielded no success, and although he contested 13 aerial duels, he only won seven, as per Sofascore.

The numbers reflect a player still adjusting to the intensity and pace of English football.

Wolves fans were expecting a ruthless finisher; instead, they’ve seen a forward struggling to impose himself.

Pereira’s persistence with Arokodare has become synonymous with the side’s wider attacking malaise.

At a time when Wolves desperately need sharpness in the final third, he has looked like a work in progress rather than a solution.

How Pereira can get Wolves firing again

The return of Jorgen Strand Larsen could change the equation entirely.

The Norwegian striker has been Wolves’ talisman since arriving from Celta Vigo, having scored 14 league goals on loan.

That tally accounted for 22% of Wolves’ total strikes, a contribution that proved decisive in avoiding relegation last season.

His commitment was underlined this summer when he signed a new deal until 2030 despite Champions League club Newcastle United tabling bids of £50m and £55m.

Strand Larsen has already opened his account for the campaign, scoring twice in the Carabao Cup win over West Ham.

Yet an Achilles injury has sidelined him for the past two league games, leaving Wolves blunt in attack.

Now fit again, his return offers Pereira an ideal chance to reset the forward line.

The ideal partner for him is Jhon Arias, the Colombian winger-forward who joined from Fluminense for £15m.

Arias contributed four goals and 13 assists in Brazil last season, showcasing his ability to both score and create.

His versatility makes him well-suited to Pereira’s 3-5-2 system, where he could play just off Strand Larsen, stretching defences and linking midfield with attack.

Although Arias has only managed 179 league minutes so far, his technical qualities have been clear, having also been hailed for his “relentless” work off the ball by analyst Ben Mattinson.

John Arias – 2025

Matches Played

12

Goals

1

Assists

4

Progressive Carries

48

Progressive Passes

55

Source: FBref

He thrives in tight spaces, has the vision to pick progressive passes, and the pace to break lines – elements Wolves sorely lack when Arokodare leads the line.

If given a run of games, Arias could replicate the kind of strike partnerships Wolves have historically relied upon in Derek Dougan and John Richards.

Everton in the League Cup provides the perfect stage to test this combination.

Strand Larsen’s presence guarantees a focal point, while Arias’ creativity and movement would add unpredictability.

Together, they could finally give Wolves the attacking structure to match the defensive solidity that has, at times, looked promising.

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Posts ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025